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As of October 7, 2026, the WP Engine–Automattic lawsuit is still unresolved. A September 24 order let WP Engine’s antitrust claims proceed past the dismissal stage, dismissed one of its claims without leave to amend, and allowed most counterclaims to proceed. The judge has not decided who is ultimately liable.
What is the dispute about?
WP Engine sued Automattic and Matt Mullenweg in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on October 2, 2024. The conflict concerns WP Engine’s access to WordPress.org resources, including the plugin ecosystem, and contested use of WordPress-related trademarks.
WP Engine alleges that Automattic and Mullenweg engaged in unlawful conduct, including interference with its business. Automattic and its co-counterclaimants, in turn, allege trademark misuse, deceptive branding, and failures to support the WordPress community. Those are opposing parties’ allegations, not findings by the court. WP Engine’s original complaint named Automattic and Mullenweg, not WordPress.org; the WordPress Foundation and WooCommerce later appear as counterclaimants and in claims addressed by the court.
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What did the September 2026 order decide?
On September 24, 2026, Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín ruled on the parties’ motions to dismiss. A motion to dismiss tests whether claims can proceed based on the pleadings; it is not a trial on the evidence. The order changed the status of several claims:
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- WP Engine’s antitrust claims, Counts 11–14: The court denied the defendants’ motion to dismiss these claims, finding them viable at this stage. The judge wrote that the court “departs from its prior order, now finding WPEngine’s antitrust claims viable.” The court also found that WP Engine adequately alleged harm to competition for pleading-stage purposes.
- WP Engine’s extortion claim, Count 3: The court dismissed this claim under 18 U.S.C. § 1030(a)(7) without leave to amend. It reasoned that WP Engine had not plausibly alleged a preexisting right to perpetual free access to WordPress.org or to perpetual use of related trademarks.
- WP Engine’s declaratory non-dilution claim against WooCommerce, Count 7: The court dismissed it without prejudice.
- Counterclaims: The court denied WP Engine’s motion to dismiss except for the false-advertising portion of Count 2, which it dismissed with leave to amend. It also dismissed trademark counterclaims to the extent Automattic and Mullenweg asserted them in their own right, based on standing. The order does not dismiss all trademark claims brought by the other counterclaimants.
These outcomes describe which claims may continue or be amended. They do not establish that the allegations are true, determine liability, or amount to a final verdict.
How did the case reach this point?
- October 2, 2024: WP Engine filed its complaint against Automattic and Mullenweg.
- December 10, 2024: The court entered a preliminary injunction. WP Engine says the injunction restored its access to WordPress.org and its access to and control of the Advanced Custom Fields plugin.
- June 5, 2026: The court ruled on specific discovery disputes, granting some requests and denying others. It required certain answers and production. It denied WP Engine’s request for data about WordPress.org visitors after the defendants represented that identifying visitor data had not been retained beyond 48 hours. The court said WP Engine had raised spoliation but had not provided sufficient facts at that stage to support such a finding.
- September 24, 2026: The court issued its order on the motions to dismiss, allowing the specified antitrust claims and most counterclaims to proceed, subject to the exceptions described above.
WP Engine reported that discovery concluded on May 14, 2026, and that discovery hearings took place May 27 and 29. Its published FAQ also listed a June 25 motion-to-dismiss hearing as scheduled, but that date predates the September ruling and does not establish the case’s current status.
What does the ruling mean for WordPress users and businesses?
The order changes the procedural posture of the lawsuit, not the practical rights of every WordPress user, host, plugin developer, or customer. It does not endorse a hosting provider, require customers to switch services, or decide the broader dispute over WordPress-related access and trademarks. The preliminary injunction and the September dismissal order are distinct rulings: the injunction addressed access earlier in the case, while the later order determined which pleaded claims could continue.
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Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What remains unresolved?
The surviving claims and counterclaims still require resolution. The September order does not establish whether either side’s accusations are true, whether the alleged conduct ultimately violates the law, or what remedy might follow. The judge’s statement that WP Engine could not plausibly allege a preexisting right to perpetual free access or trademark use explains the dismissal of the extortion claim; it is not a ruling that WP Engine has no viable claims in the case.
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